Balloon kicking game apparatus



June so, 1970 J. D. BRESLOW 3,517,934

BALLOON KIGKING GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 14. 1968 'I NVEN'TOE JEFFREY Z7. BPESLOW ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,517,934 BALLOON KICKING GAME APPARATUS Jeffrey D. Breslow, Evanston, Ill., assignor to Marvin Glass & Associates, Chicago, Ill., a partnership Filed Feb. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 705,355 Int. Cl. A63b 67/00 US. Cl. 273-95 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Game apparatus which includes a balloon, a pair of goals to be placed on the floor, and a plurality of loop elements for loosely shackling the ankles of each player together. After the opposing players have each placed one of the loop elements around their ankles to thereby hamper their movement, the balloon is dropped midway between the goals and the players attempt to kick the balloon through the opponents goal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to game apparatus of the type which requires physical activity on the part of the players and involves kicking a ball through the opponents goal. The present invention is particularly distinguishable in that it includes flexible means for shackling the legs of each player together and the ball is a balloon or the like which is ditficult to maneuver by kicking.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Game apparatus comprising means defining a pair of goals adapted to be placed in spaced-apart relation, a plurality of loop elements adapted to be placed around the ankles of each of the players so as to permit limited relative movement of their feet, and a playing piece adapted to be propelled by the players by kicking.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus in use between two players;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of one of the goals; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective of one of the loop elements used by the players.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As seen in the drawings, the present invention provides apparatus for playing a novel ball kicking game, including a relatively lightweight ball in the form of a toy balloon 10, a pair of goals 12, and a plurality of flexible loop elements 14. Generally, the game is a contest between opposing players or teams, wherein each player is shackled at his ankles by a loop element 14 and in such condition of limited mobility attempts to move the elusive balloon through his opponents goal.

The game may be played on any generally flat surface, either indoor or outdoor, and the goals 12 may be placed any desired distance apart in facing relation to each other. As illustrated, each of the goals is of a cardboard 3,517,934 Patented June 30, 1970 or plastic and comprises a pair of vertical standards or supports 16 including slotted portions 18 for receiving slotted portions 20 in the transverse goal member 22 to thereby releasably hold the goal-forming pieces in assembled relation. In order to provide greater stability for the goal, each of the supports 16 is preferably angularly I bent along its longitudinal axis.

Each of the loop elements 14 is preferably formed of a narrow strip of lightweight and quite flexible plastic material; suitably joined together at opposite ends to form the loop as by means of a fastening element, heat sealing or the like. The circumference of loop element 14 should be sufliciently large to permit sliding of the loop over the shoes of an adult person to a position generally around the ankles of such person. When in position around the players ankles, the loop 14 will be sufficiently slack to permit limited relative movement of the ankles. During the play of the game the player has to not only concentrate on attempting to move balloon 10 toward the opponents goal, but he also has to maintain the loop 14 in its shackling position around his ankles.

The balloon 10 is preferably of the usual toy balloon type, although a very lightweight ball may also be used. The use of a balloon adds considerably to the fun of the game, particularly because its extremely light weight and air-buoyancy characteristic makes it extremely difficult to propel with any accuracy. During the play of the game the balloon can only be moved by kicking it with the feet, and the shackled players will have difiiculty in moving about on the playing area as well as in kicking the balloon.

Although shown and described with respect to particular apparatus and play, it will be apparent that variations in either may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a pair of goals, means for supporting said goals on a generally flat surface in spaced-apart facing relation, each of said goals-comprising two horizontally spaced apart, vertical support members and a cross member joining the tops of said support members, means for encircling both ankles of each of the players so as to limit relative movement between the players feet comprising a plurality of relatively narrow, flexible loop elements, and an inflated toy rubber balloon to be kicked by the shackled players during the play of the game in an attempt to pass the balloon through the opponents goal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,556,046 10/ 1925 Taylor 273 2,128,486 8/1938 King 273127 2,157,023 5/1939 Shannon 273118 2,650,590 9/1953 Moore et al. l28--l34 3,052,226 9/1962 Woll 273-429 X ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273108, 127 

